VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Oak Park, IL Tornado History — 129 Tornadoes Since 1950

Illinois · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Oak Park, IL had?

Oak Park has had 129 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Oak Park?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Oak Park was an EF0 on March 14, 2025.

When is tornado season in Oak Park?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Oak Park, with 36 on record. April through June account for 53 of the 129 tornadoes on record near Oak Park.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
129
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
5
3.9% of total
Peak Month
July
36 on record
Per Year Avg
1.7
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Oak Park

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 63 total, averaging 3.1 per year over this window.

2026 0+10 prelim
2025 1
2024 24
2023 11
2022 4
2021 2
2020 4
2019 1
2018 1
2017 0
2016 1
2015 3
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 3
2010 0
2009 0
2008 4
2007 4

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Oak Park since December 29, 2025

These are 10 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary EF1° August 11, 2026
1 ESE Homewood, Cook County, IL
An EF-1 tornado began west of Halsted between 183rd and 187th... crossing Halsted and causing structural damage to a strip mall and several buildings in an apartment co (LOT)
Preliminary EF1° August 11, 2026
3 SE Homer Glen, Cook County, IL
NWS survey confirms an EF-1 tornado with peak winds near 105 mph... peak width of 300 yards... and path length of 22.4 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° July 28, 2026
Wheaton, DuPage County, IL
NWS survey confirms a brief EF-0 tornado started just south of Wheaton College. Tornado was on the ground for 2 minutes or less. Peak width of 100 yards and winds of 75 (LOT)
Preliminary July 27, 2026
1 ENE Hazel Crest, Cook County, IL
Likely portion of tornado path in/near Markham. Concentrated area of tree damage along westbound I-80/I-294 at the Dixie Highway exit directly east and west of the exit (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° July 27, 2026
3 NW Orland Park, Cook County, IL
An NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 85 mph... path length of 2.9 miles... and max width of 250 yards impacted Orland Park. (LOT)
Preliminary July 27, 2026
1 NNW Glen Ellyn, DuPage County, IL
Photo passed along of a tornado in Glen Ellyn... close to location of radar-indicated TDS. (LOT)
Preliminary EF2° June 12, 2026
1 S Willow Springs, Cook County, IL
*** 6 INJ *** NWS survey confirms a preliminary EF-2 tornado. Peak winds of 120 mph... width of 350 yards... and length of 8.4 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° June 12, 2026
2 ESE Naperville, DuPage County, IL
NWS survey confirms a preliminary EF-0 tornado. Peak winds of 80 mph... width of 150 yards... and length of 1.3 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary EF1° June 12, 2026
2 NE Wayne, DuPage County, IL
An NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 100 MPH... path length of 3.0 miles... and maximum width of 400 yards impacted Bartlett... c (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° June 10, 2026
1 E Palos Heights, Cook County, IL
NWS survey confirmed a preliminary EF-0 tornado. Path length of 2.5 miles... max width of 175 yards... and peak winds of 80 mph. (LOT)

Within 25 miles of Oak Park. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 11
1960s 17
1970s 21
1980s 9
1990s 5
2000s 11
2010s 9
2020s 46

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 57
EF1 49
EF2 18
EF3 3
EF4 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 4
Mar 7
Apr 14
May 13
Jun 26
Jul 36
Aug 18
Sep 7
Oct 2
Nov 2
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Oak Park

41 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Oak Park since 1950, across 6 events. 918 injuries have been reported across all events. 1967 was the deadliest year on record near Oak Park.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities along a 15.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Oak Park

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 21, 1967 — 33 fatalities, 15.0 mi path, 200 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on March 27, 1991 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F4 on June 13, 1976 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on November 12, 1965 — 35.9 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 14, 2025.

What the record shows near Oak Park

The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Oak Park, with 46 of the 129 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Oak Park record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Oak Park, 106 reached EF0 or EF1 and 23 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Oak Park is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Oak Park has averaged 3.1 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 63 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 24, and 7 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Oak Park, IL had?
Since 1950, 129 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Oak Park. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Oak Park?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Oak Park was an F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Oak Park?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Oak Park, with 36 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Oak Park been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Oak Park, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Oak Park?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Oak Park was an EF0 on March 14, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Oak Park?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

More Cities in Illinois